There has long been a problem in the construction art of "tying" two slabs or adjacent paved areas together, when the slabs or areas are poured separately. By way of example, when a two-lane roadway is being poured, it is common practice to set up paving forms defining one lane of the roadway, pour the concrete into the forms to provide that lane or slab of pavement, remove the forms, and then place the forms at the other lane margin to pour the second slab or lane. When this is done, it is necessary to "tie" or join the adjacent slabs. This is conventionally done with reinforcing steel rods, generally called "tie bars" because they effectively tie the two slabs together. Such tie bars are generally about thirty inches in length, and a right angle bend is formed in the center so that the one leg of the tying bar can be inserted into the just-poured slab with the other leg of the bar parallel to--preferably abutting--the paving form. Thus after the slab sets up (hardens), the paving form can be removed and the other leg of the tie bar pulled outwardly to form a straight line with the first leg of the bar, already encased in the first slab. A problem has generally arisen in connection with providing easy access to the leg of the tie bar which parallels the edge of the slab after removal of the paving form.
One approach to locating and providing such access to the tie bar leg has included sliding a protective member, generally a sleeve of heavy paper or light cardboard, over the leg of the tie bar which abuts the paving form. This is usually done after the slab has been poured. Then the tie bar, with the protective sleeve around one leg, is inserted manually into the fresh concrete. It is pushed downwardly until it is parallel to and--hopefully--in contact with the paving form. Those skilled in the construction arts will appreciate the difficulty of properly positioning the tie bar and sleeve. After the paving form is removed, a pick is used to chip away concrete along the edge of the slab until the sleeve is located. The pick is then used to remove additional concrete and expose the leg of the tie bar, which is then bent outwardly in preparation for the second pour. Of course if the sleeve is not abutting the edge of the slab, or if it is not at substantially the proper height in the slab, this entails additional chipping away and increases the labor cost.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an expeditious and economical support system for tie bars adjacent a paving form.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide such an improved arrangement which allows placement of the tie bars prior to pouring the concrete slab.
Another important object of the invention is the provision of a tie bar support arrangement which not only provides positive location of the tie bar, but also minimizes the amount of concrete which must be removed to afford access to the tie bar.